Hoard O' Bits

I recently came across a site that deals in surplus Games Workshop Warhammer bits. Some of the brands that Hoard O' Bits carries are Battletech, Dreadfleet, Dreamforge, Hobbit, Wargames Factory, Warhammer,Warhammer 40k, Pegasus Hobbies, and FireForge. Some of the types of bits that Hoard O' Bits carries are Board Game Bits, Buildings, Creatures, Terrain, Weapons, and Monsters.

While I was visiting the site the other day I purchased three Dreadfleat islands. I thought I might try to make use of these islands with my Pirates of Mysterious Islands miniatures. I also purchased a Warhammer Powder Monkey and a Garden Of Morr - Main Gate.

There were more than a few items that caught my eye, but at the time of my visit were temporary out of stock. I created an account with Hoard O' Bits and I will be contacted when the following items are back in stock: Female Sorceress, The Hobbit Goblin King, and a Small Shack.

Pirates of the …, Nations and New Game Features

I have eluded to some of the nation’s or factions participating in this constructible strategy game, but wanted to detail the nations or factions  participating in this game for the four editions I process materials for.  

Pirates at Oceans Edges (Tenth Edition), was released in 2007.

Nations & Factions: America, England, France, Pirates, Spain, Mercenary

New Game Features: Catamaran, Sea Dragon, Titan, and Windcatcher are new keywords

Whirlpools are a new terrain type

Pirates of Mysterious Islands (Eighth Edition), was released in 2006.

Nations & Factions: America, Cursed, England, France, Pirates, Spain

New Game Features: Ex-patriot, Mercenary, and Submarine are new keywords

Mysterious Islands were introduced

Pirates of Davey Jones Curse (Seventh Edition), was released in 2006.

Nations & Factions: America, England, France, Pirates, Spain, Barbary Corsair, Jade Rebellion, Cursed

New Game Features: Black Mark and Sea Monsters are new keywords

Pirates of the Spanish Main (First Edition) was released in 2004.

Special Rules for Pirates of Mysterious Islands

I am still working on adding the new rules that each edition adds to this constructible pirate’s strategy game. Each game we play, we add few more of these rules into play. Recently we added the two mysterious islands from the two packs that contained these mysterious islands. The mysterious islands are indicated by the addition of two small yellow palm trees and you will find outcomes for your dice rolls on the back of these islands.

The outcomes for the two islands are, as follows:

Mysterious Island 1:

Roll a 1 or 2 you get to eliminate one mast from your ship. Isn’t that just quaint?
Roll a 3 or a 4 and you get no effect (How dreary!).
Roll 5 or 6 and you get to move an opposing ship its base move. I take it; you might want to turn the ship away from the island.

Mysterious Island 2:

Roll a 1 or 2 and on your next Move action you must roll a die. If you roll a 1 through a 5 you don’t move. Jolly ho!
Roll a 3 or a 4 and you get no effect (How dreary!).
Roll 5 or 6 and you get to write your own event. Now you are talking.

Perhaps you see why I haven’t used these mysterious islands. I don’t see the point and I wouldn’t shoot myself in the foot willingly, either, if you catch my meaning. Perhaps I can come up with some other ideas for these islands.

Perhaps I could add some monsters or some events to make it a bit more interesting…We will revisit this topic a bit later.

Dystopian Wars Gaming Table and Island Scenery

Recently I came upon the following videos that describe how to create a game table for Dystopian Wars miniatures and then how to add scenery to the game board. Although the videos are geared toward Dystopian War minis these techniques could be used for the Whizkids Pirates game. Having a game board this size and with this much detail would definitely add to the fun.

• Making a Dystopian Wars Ocean War Gaming Table
• Making Islands Scenery for Dystopian Wars, Part1
• Making Islands Scenery for Dystopian Wars, Part2

Pirates of Mysterious Islands-Battle Report

Two players controlled ten ships in the race to collect more gold pieces than their contestant. The nations and other combatants that took part in this battle were the United States, Great Britain, France, Spain, and Pirates.

While the gold was plentiful and the crews were able to fill their ships holds there were no contests, however when the gold became scarce the players turned their cannon on each other. Three ships made their way to Dave Jones Locker.

In the end one player had gained 69 gold points, but lost two ships, while the other player won by gaining 99 gold points and had only lost one ship.

Dozens of Resources for the Pirates of the Spanish Main and other Versions of this Pirate Game

The Board Game Geek has seven pages of what amounts to dozens of resources, including alternative scenarios, and rules, reference and tracking sheets, wind and compass add-on's, cannon range finders, check lists, and guides, ship and crew cards, keyword lists, ETC.

There so many resources here that will make your game, regardless of what version you are playing, more challenging and interesting.

Terrain Pieces for Pirates of Dave Jones Curse and Mysterious Islands

Although I don’t know when these terrain pieces were first introduced or whether they are still available I thought I would include this related link anyway. These terrain pieces from Dungeon Terrain are cast in resin and include six islands and several palm trees. The palm trees will need to be assembled and attached to the islands. The islands, unlike those supplied with the game, are three dimensional and are highly detailed.

Pirates of Davy Jones Curse-Terrain Pieces

The Pirates of Davy Jones Curse game includes three terrain types: Fog Banks, Reefs, and Sargasso Sea. Each terrain type brings with it a set of attributes.

Fog Banks

When any part of a ship touches the fog bank the whole ship must be placed on the fog bank and ships turn ends. Once in the fog bank the ship is considered lost, it cannot fire cannon, be shot at, ram, pin, be boarded or board other ships. A fog bank has the numbers 1 through 6 printed around its edges. On the ships next turn the player must roll a die and exit from the number on the side of the card that matches the roll die.

Using situation cards, I have other ideas for this terrain piece, like being able to enter a fog bank if being pursued by or being fired at by an enemy ship.

Sargasso Sea

This is another terrain piece that will need to be worked into the game, with a situation card. Depending on the roll of the die the player could become entangled in the Sargasso Sea and lose her ability to move or become detangled allowing the ship to continue to make her move action.

Reefs

When any part of a ship touches any part of a reef, the player must roll a die. The result is the reefs rating until the end of your turn. Compare the result of the die against the amount of masts the ship had when it was constructed. If the reef rating is lower than the number of masts, the ship loses that many masts.

If the ship sustains more damage than she has masts she is wrecked and stays on the reef as a wreck. I am not really sure I will work this terrain piece into the game, yet. Perhaps I could create a situation card for this piece.

Pirates of Mysterious Islands Situation Cards, Version 1

I have often thought how I could make Pirates of Mysterious Islands more challenging and came up with the idea of creating situation cards. There are, if you remember three unique actions, a move, shoot, and explore actions.

I created situation actions for explore, and move actions. There are thirteen actions each, for the explore and move actions. I will divide the cards up into red and black desks and tie each situation to numbered card. Ace through 10, the Jack card is 11, the Queen is 12, and so on

There good and bad situation cards for each action. Some situations require a roll of a die or point to the rules for certain game pieces. The cards will be read at the beginning of your turn for these actions and the situations implemented during that action.

Explore Action

1. You meet the inhabitants of the island and they are die hard cannibals. You lose one crewmember. Burp!
2. You search is in vain and you find no treasure on this island.
3. You can dock and explore as a free action.
4. The inhabitants of this island attack your ship and you are unable to explore for treasure on this turn. If you should decide to stay roll die on your next turn. If you roll a four or six you your crew triumphs over the inhabitants, you can now explore the island. If you roll anything else you lose a crewmember to the fighting, but you still can explore and pick-up treasure.
5. There are several crewmembers that have come down with the scurvy; you must stay on this island for another turn in order to nurse your crew back to health.
6. You have fine weather upon arrival, but a storm keeps you from departing until your second turn on this island.
7. You and your crew have no problems. Explore as you would normally.
8. You may choose as many treasure pieces as your ships capacity will allow you. (Turn over twice your ships capacity in gold pieces and choose the highest rated pieces).
9. No impediments here
10. This island has the necessary materials for repairs; you may repair one mast per turn on this island.
11. Upon approaching the island you accidently run aground. Roll a die, if you roll a 3 your ship wrecked and you and your crew are marooned on this island. Anything other than a 3, you sustain some damage (remove a mast), but your ship is still operational.
12. It takes you two full explore actions to discover treasure
13. You can dock and explore as a free action.

Move Action

1. You enter a fog bank. Follow the fog bank rules for your next action
2. You crew mutinies-do a 180’ turn.
3. You are driving into the wind you lose half your default movement
4. You have favorable winds and seas add a Short to your default movement
5. You encounter a strong storm you make no headway at all (do not make your basic movements)
6. Lightning strikes and splinters one of your masts (remove a mast)
7. Because of a storm you find that your drinking water has been contaminated. Travel back to the last island you visited and refill your water barrels.
8. You encounter a sea monster, roll a die and follow the rules for this monster to see what the outcome is.
9. One of your crew hooks a large sea creature while fishing, add a Long to your basic movement
10. One of your crew hooks a large sea creature while fishing, the creature takes you back the way you came. Do a 180’.
11. You are becalmed. You movement is reduced by half.
12. The captain becomes delirious and has the ship going in circles. Turn your ship 180’.
13. You have favorable winds and seas add a Short and a Long to your default movement.

My Pirates of Mysterious Island Crew Members

The following crew attributes are from Whizkids crew cards. Typically each pack contains at least two and sometimes three crewmembers. Out of the seven packs of the pirates game that I have purchased I have collected sixteen crewmembers. The crewmembers listed are from three different versions, and from six different nations.

Flag	Crew Type	Points	Linked To	Attributes
American	Cannoneer	2		Once per turn, one of this ships cannon’s may shoot again if it misses.
Cursed	Firepot Specialist	2		Once per turn this ship, given a shoot action may shoot a firepot at a target within a Short of her. You must declare which cannon is being used for this purpose before rolling a die. If it hits the controller of the stricken ship replaces one of her masts with a fire mast. Thereafter, at the beginning of every turn they must roll a die. If they roll a 6, they remove the fire mast, but upon rolling a 1-3, another fire mast is added. This continues until all her masts are fire masts, at which time the ship must be scuttled. Upon reaching her home island or a fort she may remove all the fire masts as a free action.
Cursed	Firepot Specialist	3		Once per turn this ship, given a shoot action may shoot a firepot at a target within a Short of her. You must declare which cannon is being used for this purpose before rolling a die. The target need not be another ship. Simply place the center of a fog bank within a SHORT of her. The fog bank cannot touch an island or any ship that is docked at a island. Remove the fog bank at the beginning or your next turn.
England	Explorer	1		This ship may dock and explore a wild island using the same move action.
England	Carbon Charlie Known to most as Charles Southwyn. Carbon Charlie makes some of the finest firearms in the world.	3	Powder Pete When Powder Pete and Carbon Charlie are serving on the same ship the ship gets a +1 cargo space	When this ship is docked at your home island, you may eliminate one treasure. The treasure becomes a #3-Long cannon that can be eliminated only when the ship sinks.
England	Commander Spencer Portland	7		Once per turn, before giving this ship a action roll one die. On a 5 or a 6 this ship may be given the same action twice. This ship’s crew cannot be eliminated, except if the ship sinks.
France	Jean Desailly	6	Le Rich Give this ship a move action, but do not move her, instead roll a die. If the result is a 5 or 6 move an enemy ship on LONG in any direction.	Black Mark. (The black mark indicates that the crew member belongs to the cursed nation, instead of the nation of their origin.)
Mercenary	Oarsman	1		If derelict, this ship gains a base move of a Short. This crew-member does not take-up a cargo space.
Mercenary	Nikos Chelios	5	Fathom	Ex-patriot. Once per turn this ship may take two treasure pieces from any ship she touches.
Pirate	Shipwright	2		This ship may repair at sea or at any island.
Pirate	Firepot Specialist	2		Once per turn this ship, given a shoot action may shoot a firepot at a target within a Short of her. You must declare which cannon is being used for this purpose before rolling a die. If it hits the controller of the stricken ship replaces one of her masts with a fire mast. Thereafter, at the beginning of every turn they must roll a die. If they roll a 6, they remove the fire mast, but upon rolling a 1-3, another fire mast is added. This continues until all her masts are fire masts, at which time the ship must be scuttled. Upon reaching her home island or a fort she may remove all the fire masts as a free action.
Spain	Biancos Haulers	3	Master  Bianco When  Biancos Haulers and the Master  Bianco are on the same ship, the ship gets +1 cargo space	This ship may unload cargo at your home island is she is within a Short of it.
Spain	Musketeer	3		This ships gains one #3 Long cannon. The cannon cannot have its cannon range increased. It can shoot from any mast, even an eliminated mast.
Spain	Fernando Sanchez	5	Nemesion Diaz When Fernando Sanchez and Nemesion Diaz are on the same ship the ship gets +1 cargo spaces.	This ship may dock at an enemy’s home island and load one treasure, if she is able. The ship must leave on your next turn.
Spain	Oarsman	1		If derelict, this ship gains a base move of a Short. This crew-member does not take-up a cargo space.
Spain	Oarsman	1		If derelict, this ship gains a base move of a Short. This crew-member does not take-up a cargo space.
		16

Pirates of the …Ships-Getting them Built

I have found a method of prepping the slot that receives the sail tabs. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner. Before attempting to insert the tabs into their slots, I take a small file and carefully clean and ever so slightly enlarge these slots. Since I have started to perform this operation I have not broken another sail tab.

Some of the tabs seem a bit too short and there isn’t enough of the tab inserted in the slot to hold the mast securely. In this case I put a drop of cyanoacrylate glue on the bottom of the piece that received the tabs. Cyanoacrylate can also be used to tabs that might have gotten a bit too much pressure inserting them into their slots. This can be avoided by using my fist method filing.

Special Purpose Keywords for Pirates of Mysterious Islands and Davy Jones Curse

Since Pirates of Mysterious Islands and Pirates of Davy Jones Curse include some new characters, special purpose islands, and ships the following terms and topics have been added to the general rules, which were posted in a post a few days ago. These terms represent special abilities that were added to some of the said characters and ships.

These special abilities are printed on crewmember tokens, Ship desk cards, and on special islands. These keywords add to and take precedence over the basic rules.

Black Mark

The black mark indicates that the crew member belongs to the cursed nation, instead of the nation of their origin.

Broadside Attack

At the roll of a 6 this ship can reduce the distance of its gun to 0. Also if dice result is higher than each cannon, all cannon hit and the ships gets one extra hit

Ex-patriot

The Ex-patriot can be assigned to any ship. Any ship that this crew member is assigned becomes a Mercenary nation.

Fear

The ability limits, with the roll of dice roll of five, the crew abilities of a ship that is a SHORT away from your ship.

Galley

The ship with this keyword cannot pin or be pinned. If this ships rams it cannot eliminate a mast from the ship being rammed. As a free action, this ship can rotate her stern in any direction. Also, if this ship becomes derelict, this ship can move one SHORT.

Ghost Ship

If the ship or a crew member on that ship has this keyword, you must decide at the start of your turn whether the ship is ghostly. If the ship is ghostly, the ship gains the following abilities. She ignores islands and other ships when she is moving. The terminology is a bit vague; does that mean that the ship can go through island and other ships as if they are not there? A ghost ship cannot be rammed or pinned, or cannot dock.

Junk

This ships mast does not block her line of fire.

Limit

Not much said here about this ability, except that you can only have one ship in your fleet with this ability.

Marine

A marine is a crew type that can be dropped off on any island except on the opponent’s home island. On each turn this crewmember with a 2 SHORT gun rank can be given its own shoot action. Opposing players may target this crew member only if they are on an island, but must hit the marine twice in the same turn.

Mercenary

A mercenary ship cannot dock at any home island and begins the game one SHORT away from your home island.

Ransom

If a crew member is transferred to an emery ship, the ransomed crew member is worth a treasure of 5 to the capturer. If eliminated by an opposing player it becomes a treasure worth 1 gold and appears on the player’s home island as a free action.

Sea Monster

A sea monster can take the form of sea serpents or a Kraken and is made up of segments. These segments come in different forms; they can be coils, tentacles, heads, and tails. The segments act like masts in the game.

At the start of the controller turn, they must decide whether the sea monster is a float or submerged. If submerged they cannot shoot or be shot at, however when not submerged they may take a shoot action.

Sea monsters cannot carry crewmembers, but can take treasure from a pinned ship. If it chooses to take a unique treasure that treasure is eliminated from the game. If the sea monster succeeds at a boarding party, it also eliminates one mast.

Once all the sea monsters segments are eliminated the sea monster is removed from the game.

Submarine

A submarines hull is made-up of two or three pieces. These pieces act like masts. Submarines cannot be pin or be pinned, or tow or be towed. Submarines have the ability to either move on the surface or under the surface. The submarines player must decide at the start of their turn whether the sub in submerged or is running on the surface.

Submerged subs can only more and cannot shoot, be shot at or be rammed. A submerged sub can ram another ship while she is submerged, but regardless whether she is successful or not she must move a SHORT away from the targeted ship in any direction as a free action.

On the surface a sub can be rammed and boarded, but will not be damaged by the ram. If she is hit by a cannonade a piece of hull is removed. When all the hull pieces have been removed she becomes derelict.

Schooner

As a free action this ship type can rotate her stern in any direction after she completes a move action. This action cannot be used after she rams another ship.

Turtle Ship

When ship is hit, one of her panels is removed. When all her panels have been removed, start removing her masts. This ship cannot be boarded if she has any turtle shell panels. If derelict, this ship gains a base move of a SHORT.

Note: The terms SHORT and LONG are basic movements used in this game. A SHORT is a width of a card, whereas a LONG is the length of a card.

Adapted from Whizkids complete game rules.

Pirates of Mysterious Islands-Battle Report- #02

Over the weekend three of us that got together for a game night; the Pirates of Mysterious Islands strategy game was one of the games we decided to play.

My current fleet consists of ten ships. We decided to play a forty point game, which means we all were able to choose ships and crew that equaled up to forty points. That meant that we all had three ships and at least two crew members. Crew members usually take-up a cargo space, so unless the crew member has some pretty impressive attributes you may want to run without them.

Like I mentioned each of us had three ships and we all had a mixed fleet, meaning we might have had French, American, British, Spanish, or Pirate ships in the same fleet. This is permissible, but when using a mixed crew, the crew member can only use their special abilities on a flagged ship that they belong.

Besides our home islands we had a total six wild island in which to dispense the gold pieces. These wild islands are suppose to be set at least 4 Longs away from a home island.

Gold was dispensed evenly on all the islands and we rolled to see who would go first. After the first player completed an appropriate action we took turns going clock wise. I went last.

It seems that the two girls that took part were at odds with one another, that night and were in almost consistent conflict with one another and fired their cannons back and forth at one another. This severely hindering their ability to collect gold. Since this was the case I had ample opportunity to cruise to the wild islands without any mischief and pick-up as much gold that my ships could carry and ferry the booty back to my home island.

I ended up with more gold pieces and thus points than the girls and won the game. I have learned that unless you are able to completely destroy your opponent’s ship, that it is probably not worth the effort to attack another ship.

One option, that might prove profitable, but that no one pursued, was to ram another ship and board her. Depending on the roll of a die, you may eliminate one mast, capture a crew member, or take one gold piece from that ship.

Basic Play for Pirates of the…Constructible Game

Once per turn a player can perform one of these actions:

Move Action

Each ship can move a predetermined distance as her indicated base moves. The base moves are based on a Short, a Long, or a combination of both of these movements.

Explore Action

Once you are docked at a wild island (one that is not a “Home” Island) you may explore the island for gold.

Shoot Action

In attempt to sink a ship, you may, when within cannon range, fire your cannon(s) at the ship.

Repair Action

When docked on your Home Island you may, once per turn, repair one mast.

NOTE: A ships actions may be altered by the ships or her crew’s special abilities.

Odds and Ends-Mysterious Islands

While searching for “Mysterious Islands” I have come upon these instances of Mysterious Islands. Here is a short list of those resources.

Ships of the Mysterious Islands

Ships of the Mysterious Islands is a Role Playing Game, and although the RPG has very little in common with the Whizkids game of the same name this RPG could add some interesting concepts and give a player some ideas on how to expand the Ships of the Mysterious Islands game.

Top 10 Mysterious Islands in Fiction

The Top 10 Mysterious Islands in Fiction site offers ten examples of Mysterious Islands that have been mentioned in popular culture.

The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne (epub)

The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne is a must read for those Mysterious Island aficionados.

10 Mysterious Tidal Islands around the World

A tidal island is a piece of land that is connected to the mainland and can be reached by foot at low tide, however are either total submerged or are cut off from the main land at high tide.

My Mysterious Islands Fleet

Le Vercingetorix

The Le Vercingetorix is my first French flagged and steel hulled vessel. She may be small, but she is fast and nimble and aptly suited as a blockade runner.

USS Bellevue

The USS Bellevue is my first and only US flagged ship. The USS Bellevue is also my first Schooner. Besides being fast the schooner has a couple abilities that make it a ship worth having in your fleet:

• Once per turn, the owner of this vessel may re-roll any die roll you make for this ship
• As a free action, this ship can rotate her stern in any direction after any move action

Xiamens Claws

Xiamens Claws is a Pirate ship, one of many, it seems. The Xiamens Claws is my first four masted ship. With three separate decks she was a pleasure to assemble. The Xiamens Claws captain keeps a pet tiger in his cabin. All negotiations take place here. The Xiamens Claws has one special ability:

The Xiamens Claws gets a +1 her her boarding rolls and a +2 if her opponent is a submarine.

Unique Treasure

Pirates of the Spanish Main and the other versions of this strategy game include unique treasure pieces. They seem to be a bit rare, for I have only received two unique treasure pieces in six game packs. Unique treasures, like normal treasure are distributed among the “wild Islands”.

Unique treasures are worth 0 gold pieces, but may change later in the game. Unique treasures provide the ship in which they are carried special abilities.

Special abilities like the two listed here:

Bad Plans allows you to subtract one from a die roll while at a mysterious island.

Marksmen Map allows you, once per turn to look at one face down treasure on any island.

My Pirates of Mysterious Islands Fleet

The following ships are part of my Pirates of Mysterious Islands fleet. I don’t see myself using these ships exclusively for the Pirates of Mysterious Islands game, but will add them my existing fleet of ships. The rules for this edition of Whizkids pirates’ game will append the game rules for the previous edition, making the game more interesting and challenging.

Le Vercingetorix, France, 8 points
Masts: 2
Treasure Capacity: 3
Basic move: Long
Cannon Range: Long, for a hit must roll higher than a 3

The Le Vercingetorix is named after an ancient Gaul chieftain. Her hull is steel-riveted, making her one of newer ships of the French fleet.

Ramming cannot eliminate this ship’s masts.

---

Xiamens Claws, Pirate, 13 points
Masts: 4
Treasure Capacity: 4
Basic move: Short + Short
Cannon Range: Short, for a hit, depending on the placement of the cannon, you will have to roll a 3 or better.

The Xiamens Claws gets a -1 to her boarding rolls. She gets a -2, if her opponent is a submarine.

---

El Tejon, Pirate, 7 points
Masts: 2
Treasure Capacity: 2
Basic move: Long
Cannon Range: Short, for a hit you must roll a 3 or better.

You may double the range of this ship’s cannon each turn, but you must roll a 6 to hit. Count equals two broken ships because of brittle tabs. I broke the tabs on both sails, their being especially brittle, while attempting to insert them into the ship assembly; it is a shame-this ships special ability might have proven to be beneficial.

This Ship is linked to Benito De Soto.

---

USS Bellevue, United States, 12 points
Masts: 3
Treasure Capacity: 4
Basic move: Long
Cannon Range: Depending on the cannon, your range will be either a Short or a Long. You must roll a 4 or better for a hit.

The USS Bellevue is a Schooner. Once per turn you may reroll any die roll you roll for this ship. You must use the second die roll result.

This ship is linked to Kodiak.

Pirates of Mysterious Islands-Unique Crew Types

Each pack comes with at least one or two crew tokens. All crew members add special abilities to the ship they are on. Although I received three crew members I will only be reporting on the on the two unique crew members I received.

Firepot Specialist, 2 points, Pirate

Once per turn this ship may shoot a firepot at a target within one Short of her. A Short is a default movement measurement, like the Long used in the Pirates game. (A Short is about 2.5 inches.) Along with the crew member there are two firepots included on this card. If the firepot hits, according to a die roll of six, the ships mast becomes a fire mast. At the beginning of every turn, thereafter, the affected ships owner must roll a die. On the die roll of a six, the fire mast may be removed, however on a roll of a 1-3, another mast becomes a fire mast. When all masts are fire masts, the ship must be scuttled. If the ship with a fire mast(s) docks on her home island or a fort, she may remove all fire masts as a free move.

Nikos Chelios, 5 points, Ex-patriot

This card is linked to “Fathom”. When a crew member is linked to another crew member, and if the crew members are serving on the same ship, the special abilities they bring are increased in some matter. Once per turn this ship may randomly take two treasure pieces from any ship she touches. “Using Nemo’s technology, Nikos is out to prove that the true masters of the sea are not those who sail on top of it, but those who move below it.”

Pirates of Mysterious Islands-What is all the Mystery Anyway?

Although quite rare there is a Nautilus Submarine included with this version of this strategy game by Whizkids, so I thought the use of Mysterious Islands was a very obvious reference to Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island; however the Islands included in this rendition have their own set of mysteries.

Verne’s Mysterious Island was the island where Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus ended up stuck in a sub terrain cavern. The Island, an uncharted Island, that was off the usually shipping lanes, became home to several civil war ex-prisoners of war, after they were deposited on the island by their hot air balloon. Mysterious happenings started to occur soon after arriving on the island and thus the title “The Mysterious Island”.

The Pirates of Mysterious Islands have several scenarios printed on the bottom of the islands and are tied to certain dice roll outcomes. There is even a provision on one island where you can write your own scenario.

These scenarios will make the game a bit more interesting, as you really never really know what the outcome might be.